A Royal Battle
by CopperCatchfly
Summary: Sabriel and Touchstone happen to overhear a conversation between some kitchen boys at the palace; who would win in a fight between the Abhorsen and the King?


"Hey guys, who do you think would win in a fight between a mordicant and a shadow hand?"

Two of the palace kitchen boys looked towards their friend in amused contemplation. Any distraction from sweeping the floors was a welcome one.

"God, I dunno... probably the mordicant. I saw one once you know. The Abhorsen was driving it away from my village in the east", remarked one of the boys. "No way!" his friends exclaimed, "Did you get close to it?"

"Not really, but it was only two feet away from my little brother before Abhorsen whacked it with her sword, you know, the weird shiny one. Haha he wet himself in fear!"

"Wow... you shouldn't laugh though, I'd probably wet myself if one of them was coming at me", the smallest of the boys replied, shivering. "Yeah that Abhorsen is really something" said the second boy.

Sabriel paused outside the kitchen, her hand almost at the door. Touchstone caught up to her, wondering why she had stopped after she'd been complaining so ardently that she would die of starvation if they didn't get a snack from the kitchen soon. He opened his mouth to question her, but was stopped by her finger on his lips. Sabriel smiled mischievously at the young King, nodding towards the kitchen door before turning her head to eavesdrop.

"Yeah I know!", the first boy remarked, "Ooh here's a good question- who would win in a fight between the Abhorsen and the King?"

Touchstone compulsively leaned in beside Sabriel, whose wicked grin clearly showed her confidence in this particular battle of reputations. Even the King of the Old Kingdom had to acknowledge the power of the Abhorsen family.

"Abhorsen obviously!" replied the second boy, "Did you see the way she expelled the dead from the palace! And then that whole thing with the undead creature, what was his name?"

"Kerrigor", the smallest boy chimed in. "Yeah him. Everybody knows that the Abhorsen is the strongest charter mage in the kingdom, she would wipe the floor with the King!" Sabriel smirked triumphantly, despite the flush of embarrassment that washed over her at the boy's over-inflated compliments. Touchstone grunted noncommittally, but Sabriel could see a glimmer of annoyance in his features.

He brightened considerably when the first boy spoke again; "Are you kidding? The only way the Abhorsen would win is if the battle took place in Death! In a man to man fight, swords and charter magic, the King would win hands down! He's way stronger than her in battle!"

Sabriel smirk transformed into a wry smile as she turned to look at Touchstone who was glancing at his nails and trying to act as if he didn't care one bit. Unfortunately, the smug look on his face betrayed his satisfaction at the praise. He accepted compliments so rarely that Sabriel let him get away with it for now, chuckling light-heartedly. They both leaned towards the door again as the boys asked the smallest one who he would choose- his vote would be the decider and the competitive natures of the two concerned reared up as they waited in anticipation.

The boy paused for a few moments in quiet contemplation, before confidently declaring the winner to be "the Abhorsen." Sabriel made a fist in silent triumph, grinning joyfully at her defeated foe. Touchstone's loyal supporter in the kitchen cried out in disbelief, "Oh come on! How would she win against the King?"The smallest boy shrugged his shoulders. "Because..." he said, "I don't think the King would ever hurt her."

As the kitchen boys continued to bicker, Sabriel turned slowly towards her husband, staring into the deep grey eyes in his solemn face and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was true. Touchstone raised a large, callused hand to her pale face and stroked her cheek gently, as though she were the most precious thing in the whole kingdom; because, to him, she was. At that moment a rather noisy grumble erupted from Sabriel's hungry stomach, and the three boys started at the sound. Their cover blown, Sabriel and Touchstone walked showily into the kitchen, trying to hide their grins.

"I think you've been working long enough today boys", said Touchstone in his most king-like manner, "have the rest of the day off". They kitchen boys stood agape at the mere sight of the rulers of their kingdom, let alone their sudden, unexplained kindness. "Go on" said Sabriel with a smile, "before he changes his mind!"

The boys dropped their brooms and ran out with shrieks of laughter, leaving the King and his Abhorsen bride alone in the kitchen, which, as it turns out, had not been swept very much at all. Sabriel smiled up at her husband, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I thought you were hungry" Touchstone whispered.

"It can wait."


End file.
